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Mackay Regional Council

10/20/2025 | Press release | Archived content

New facility gives residents access to fast-growing international sport

Mackay residents will soon have access to a permanent nine-hole public disc golf course in John Breen Park located in North Mackay.

The John Breen Park Disc Golf Course will suit both first-timers and seasoned players and offer another activity for residents and visitors in this popular park.

Disc golf is similar to traditional golf, where players start at a tee and aim their frisbee-like disc for a specially made basket in as few shots as possible.

Driven by the Mackay Disc Golf Club, the course is expected to increase participation in the internationally popular sport.

Mackay Regional Council Executive Manager Community Lifestyle Maurie Fatnowna said the club had been a frequent user of the park in recent years.

"The club has hosted come and try days, monthly social events and regular competitions," Mr Fatnowna said.

"They are keen to grow the sport locally, but one of the barriers to that has been the lack of a permanent course," he said.

"This is a great collaborative project between Mackay Regional Council and the Mackay Disc Golf Club to give residents the opportunity to get involved with sport and outdoor recreation, he said.

Andrew Wells from the Mackay Disc Golf Club said there was a lot of local interest in the sport.

"Every time we play, either socially or during a tournament in the park, people always stop and ask what we're doing and want to know how they can get involved," Mr Wells said.

"But it's been hard to retain and attract new regular players due to the lack of a permanent course, so this project is fantastic."

Research from disc golf mobile app, UDisc, showed there are more than 15,000 dedicated disc golf courses around the world, with participation rates increasing by 17 per cent in the 12 months to 2023.

Mr Wells said part of the attraction of the sport was that it could be played by all ages.

"It's a great sport, which promotes concentration and problem-solving skills," he said.

"We're also excited that the organising committee for the 2026 North Queensland Games, being held in Mackay, is considering including the sport in the event."

Mr Fatnowna said that disc golf was a great addition to John Breen Park and fitted with the existing park uses and users.

Construction is due to start in late October, weather permitting. During this time, small sections of the park will be cordoned off, but impacts will be minimal.

The permanent course has been made possible with funding from council's Community Investment Grants program, which provides up to $30,000 to help develop new or upgrade existing infrastructure or assets. The project has also been supported by Daly Bay.

To find out more visit https://www.connectingmackay.com.au/john-breen-park-disc-golf-course

Disc golf combines the classic game of frisbee with golf and can be played by all ages and abilities.

Mackay Regional Council published this content on October 20, 2025, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on October 23, 2025 at 23:12 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]